On October 6, 2006 the Advisory Board, attached to the Federal Customs Service, held the regular session on the issue of realization of the customs policy. The agenda included two issues; the first concerned the discussion of the process of development and authorization of customs clearance of exhibition goods. The respective advisories were presented by Vladimir Strashko, the vice-president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation and Sergei Alekseev, president of the Russian Union of Exhibitions and Fairs. They gave grounds for importance and urgency of adoption of updated regulations, emphasizing the pursuit for further development of exhibition and fair activities, which has taken on a global make-up, and promotes world trade.

Speaking on behalf of the Federal Customs Service of the Russian Federation, Viktor Dyachenko, Head of the Central Administration of Customs Control Organization, ear-marked that “an extensive experience had been gained by the Russian customs service in the field of cooperation with large exhibition centers of the country”. One of the results, achieved in the course of this cooperation, was costs optimization in the time of enforcement of customs clearance and customs control of goods and transport vehicles both before and after carrying out of exhibition arrangements. At the same time, he spoke to the advantage of the idea of developing of the new legal document aimed at simplification of customs formalities in regard with exhibition goods and time reduction related to their observance on the basis of strict compliance with the effective customs law.

The second issue of the Agenda of the Session of the Advisory Board was the matter of direct import of consumer electronics to the Russian Federation. The respective report was presented by Alexander Onisctchuk, president of “RATEK” (Russian Association of Trading Companies and Commodity Producers), engaged in production of consumer electronics and household appliances. His report represented the analysis of development of the domestic market of consumer electronics and efforts made to legalize its separate segments. In this connection a notice was given to a positive cooperation between the Association “RATEK” and the customs agency, resulting, particularly, in fundamental “whitening” of supplies of mobile phones. According to A.Onisctchuk, one of the key ways of stabilization of the Russian market of consumer electronics and household appliances is switching over to direct importation of foreign goods.

In his turn, Alexander Voronin, Head of Central Administration of Federal Customs Revenues of the Federal Customs Service of The Russian Federation, spoke of the measures taken with a view to increase efficiency of supervision of customs value of goods imported to the customs territory of the Russian Federation, and of the measures taken against “gray” importation. In this context he placed emphasis upon activity carried with a view to data acquisition in respect of value of consumer electronics, household appliances, mobile phones, computer, copying and duplicating equipment, presented by manufacturing companies.

At present time the Federal Customs Service possesses information in respect of official prices of about 150 manufacturing companies to be promptly distributed to customs authorities. Winding up the discussions of the issues, raised at the Session of the Advisory Board, Andrei Belyaninov, Head of the Federal Customs Service of the Russian Federation emphasized their urgency. He particularly emphasized the necessity of improvement of legislation and regulatory and legislative framework, regulating various aspects of exhibition and fair activities, which promote not only development of world trade, but also strengthening of Russian economy and competitive recovery.